Snapping motto or cracker



April 9, 1957 v. T. HoEFLlcH 2,787,862

SNAPPING MOTTO OR CRACKER Filed NOV. l5, 1953 ATTO R EYS SNAPPING MOTTO R CRACKER Victor T. Hoeliich, Forest Hills, N. Y.

Application November 13, 1953, Serial No. 391,816

4 Claims. (Cl. 46-1) This invention relates to party favors of the kind called snapping motto or cracken A common form of party favor is that known in the U. S. A. as a snapping motto or snapper, and known in Great Britain as a Christmas cracker or cracken The device is sometimes called a bonbonf It usually comprises an open-ended cylinder with appropriate contents, commonly a folded party hat, a metal charm, a short printed saying, poem, or the like commonly called a verse, and an explosive snapper strip which passes through the cylinder, with its ends projecting well beyond the ends of the cylinder. A paper wrapper, usually crepe paper, is wrapped around the cylinder, and has a length substantially greater than the length of the cylinder. The resulting excess end portions are cut to form a fringe, and a short piece of narrow ribbon or tape is used to tie and close the ends, with the fringe and snapper strip projecting from the cylinder. Usually an ornament of foilcoated paper is cemented to the side of the cylinder. In use, the ends of the snapper are pulled apart, thereby setting olf the explosive material disposed in the snapper strip between the overlapping portions thereof. The wrapper is then opened to remove the contents.

The tying of ribbon at the ends of the cylinder is performed by hand, and is a relatively time-consuming operation. In fact `this operation constitutes an important element in the expensel of manufacture of the device. The primary yobject of the present invention is to lower the cost of manufacture by eliminating this operation, which I do by providing a holder which lbunches and holds the fringe at the end of the cylinder, thereby closing the cylinder. A further object is to combine the holder with an ornament, thereby eliminating the added step of securing a separate ornament to the cylinder.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the snapping motto or cracker elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following speciiication. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which:

Fig. l is'a plan view of a combined holder and ornament embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a snapping motto or cracker utilizing the holder and ornament shown in Fig. l',

Fig. 3 is a front elevation;

Fig. 4 is a partially sectioned end elevation taken ap proximately in the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing a modified ornament.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 2, the container there shown comprises a generally cylindrical portion 12 having a paper wrapper 14 which is wrapped around the cylinder 12 and which has a length substantially greater than the length of the cylinder. The

nited Statesv Patent O resulting excess end portions of the paper are cut to form a fringe as shown at 16 and 18.` The paper 14 is held hunched together in order to close the ends of the cylinder, much as though tied, but actually it is held'by holders 20, 22. The center or body portion 12 of the container is additionally decorated by means of an ornament 24.

The container here shown forms a part of a snapping motto or cracker, and thus is stuffed with a folded paper hat, a metal charm, a verse, and a snapper strip which passes through the cylinder with its ends projecting beyond the ends of the cylinder, these ends being indicated at 26 and 28. The strips 26 and 28 overlap approximately midway between the ends, and have a suitable explosive material secured therebetween in such a way that when the ends 26 and 28 are pulled apart the material is detonated with an explosive sound.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, I there show a fringe tie device having a longitudinal portion 30 the length of which substantially equals the length of the cylinder 12. 34 each having a hole 36 punched therethrough. The tie device may be folded at the dotted lines 38, and the proportioning of the parts is such that the holes 36 are locate-d at approximately the axis of the cylinder. I further provide a slit 40 extending from the edge ofl the device to the hole 36, and it will be evident that this facilitates passage of the hunched or necked fringe to the hole 36, or conversely, passage of the holder around On reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 it will be clear how Y the holders 32 and 34 are bent downward from the longitudinal portion 30 to act as end stiteners, as well as holders for the hunched fringe. In Fig. 4 it will be seen thatthe hole 36 preferably is located at the axis of the cylindrical portion 12. The ornamental design of holder 34 preferably includes portions 42 which at least slightly overlie the edge of the cylinder, thus supporting the holder against inward movement.

Reverting to Figs. l and 2, the longitudinal portion 30 is preferably given an ornamental design or outline, so that it acts further as a decoration or ornament, thereby eliminating the need to make and apply a separate ornament.

birthday party.

It will be understood that the wrapper 14 preferably is made of crepe paper, this being a paper which is light andV easily hunched at the holder, and the fringe'of which expands with a desired fullness. It will also be understood that the complete tie device, with its ornament and holders, is'preferably made by stamping the desired configuration out of sheets of so-called foil paper, which the crepe paper, which has a dull finish and usually is of contrasting color. The inside tube orcylinder, shown at 15 in Fig. 5, may be a short piece of a longer cardboard tube, spirally wound as is well known. In the present specification the term ornamentally finished cardboard is employed as a generic designation for all of the differently finished papers used for the tie device.

Referring now to Figs. l and 4 it will be Seen that the slits 40 preferably are expanded at their outer ends to provide a convergent approach passage 44. This facilitates the application of the holder to the paper wrapper, for they may be quickly slid together until the bnnched paper is forced through the lit 40 and into the hole 36, at which time the slit again closes thus securing the paper as desired.

The hole 36 is preferably provided with a series of Patented Apr. y9, 1957 It further comprises end portions 32 and InFig. l there isa lighted candle motif, for a short radial cuts 46 (Figs. 1 and 4). These afford resilient expansion or enlargement of the hole, as indicated at 48 in Fig. 5. The arrangement is such that the hole 36 may intentionally be made somewhat smallerV than the size of the necked or bunched crepe paper, yet the latter is readily forced into the hole because the hole expands as much as may be needed to receive the paper. The resulting biased sectors around the hole tend `to spring back or close, and thus to frictionally seize the crepe paper. Moreover, because these sectors are biased outward as shown in Fig. 5, they additionally hold the parts in desired relation, for they discourage any tendency of the holder to move outward along the fringe.

It will be understood that the shape of the ornament may be varied as desired, and in Fig. 6 I show another fringe tie device, the longitudinal portion S of which is differently shaped and indented to provide a flower motif. I have made others simulating a cowboy or clown, etc. Moreover, the end portions or holders 52., 54 are somewhat differently shaped in Fig. 6, and again act as decorative ornaments for the ends of the body portion of the container. In Fig. 6, as in Fig. l, there are holes 54 so located as to come approximately at the axis of the cylinder. Slits 56 are provided which extend from the edge to the hole. The said slits are preferably expanded to provide convergent approach portions 58. Moreover, the holes 54 are provided with short radial cuts 60, to provide yieldable sector-shaped tabs which help to resiliently receive and hold the hunched paper or fringe.

It is believed that the construction and method of assembly, as well as the advantages of my improved container, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed descn'ption. It will be understood that the contents of the container, even when used as a snapping motto or cracker, may be varied and may include, for example, a small game or puzzle, or a balloon or other party favor. Moreover, it is not essential that the container be used as a true snapping motto or cracker, because on occasion a container is desired which simulates a snapping motto or cracker in appearance, but which need not include a snapper strip. A container for this purpose may be filled with candy, or may carry a cosmetic device, or any other article sought to be wrapped in this manner for a distinctive appearance.

It will therefore be understood that while I have shown and described the invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure shown, without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A fringe tie device for use with a container in the form of a snapper or cracker, said container compris ing a generally cylindrical portion,` a paper wrapper which is wrapped around said cylinder and which has a length substantially greater than the length of the cylinder, the resulting excess end portions of said paper being cut to form a fringe, said fringe tie device serving to hold the ends closed with the fringe projecting therefrom, said fringe tie device having a longitudinal portion the length of whichk substantially equals the length of the cylinder, and end portions each having a hole therethrough approximately at the axis of the cylinder for bunching and holding the fringe at the end of the cylinder, and a slit extending from the edge of the device to the hole.

2. A fringe tie device for use with a container in the form of a snapper or cracker, said container comprising a generally cylindrical portion, a paper wrapper which is wrapped around said cylinder and which has a length substantially greater than the length of the cylinder, the resulting excess end portions of said paper being cut to form a fringe, said fringe tie device serving to hold the ends closed with the fringe projecting therefrom, said fringe tie device having a longitudinal portion the length of which substantially equals the length of the cylinder, and end portions each having a hole therethrough approximately at the axis of the cylinder for bunching and holding the fringe at the end of the cylinder, each of said holes having short radial cuts to provide yieldable tabs which. help resiliently to hold the fringe, and a slit extending from the edge of the device to the hole.

3. A fringe tie device for use with a container in the form of a snapper or cracker, said container comprising a generally cylindrical portion, a paper wrapper which is wrapped around said cylinder and which has a length substantially greater than the length of the cylinder, the resulting excess end portions of said paper being cut to form a fringe, said fringe tie device serving to hold the ends closed with the fringe projecting therefrom, said fringe tie device having a longitudinal portion the length of which substantially equals the length of the cylinder, and end portions each having a hole therethrough approximately at the axis of the cylinder for bunching and holding the fringe at the end of the cylinder, and a slit extending from the edge of the device to the hole, the free end of said slit being expanded to provide a convergent approach to facilitate passing the fringe into the hole.

' and end portions, the longitudinal portion having substantially the length of the cylinder and being shaped to act as an ornament, the end portions each having a hole therethrough approximately at the axis of the cylinder for bunching and holding the fringe at the end of the cylinder, and a slit extending from the edge of the device to the hole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,377,741 Woolhiser May 10, 1921 1,622,606 Palmer Mar. 29, 1927 2,474,543 McLellan June 28, 1949 

